Paradise Reborn
by ravencharmer
Summary: Paradise has been opened and the world has been reborn, but darkness still exists in the world, and even humans could use the strength of a pack... and a new chance at an old love never hurt either. YAOI TsumexToboe HigexKiba


**Background:**

**This story takes place after the end of the anime, when all of the wolves have been reborn as humans after the world comes to life again at the end of an ice age. All of the characters from the anime are reborn, but only the wolves from the chosen pack have any memories of their past life. Now they must find ways of dealing with the burdens of the knowledge of their pasts, as well as their remembered wolf instincts, in their new human lives.**

Toboe's POV

I had stopped to pick up an abandoned kitten I had heard crying from inside a cardboard box at the mouth of a garbage-clogged alley. It was raining, and the poor thing didn't stand a chance if someone didn't take it soon; however, everyone else passed by without sparing the slightest glance for this helpless child. Then, suddenly, I was hit by the faintest waft of a scent that I had never smelled before, but that was overwhelmingly familiar. Before I could identify the mystery aroma, though, I was approached by a group of shady-looking guys. They surrounded me, and ushered me past the piled trash, into what I discovered to be a labyrinth of small interconnected alleyways.

I didn't want to go with those guys, but they weren't exactly giving me a choice. There was a guy on each side of me with a firm grip on my arm, and I could feel a third guy right behind me, breathing on my neck. Their leader was walking a few steps ahead of us, leading us further and further into the maze of passageways, until I found myself being shoved into a corner at the end of a dead-end path. We had gone far enough that I couldn't hear the sound of city traffic anymore, and the only sounds I could hear were the rain trickling down the walls and the pleased chuckling of the four men.

"Well, now that we're alone, let's have a little fun, shall we?" the leader of the gang said as he walked closer to me, unbuckling his belt, "Now, come here, little boy. Don't be afraid, we'll be sure to give you a good ride."

I felt sick, sick to my core. I felt like a rabbit in a trap; I had known what was going to happen, but I had been powerless to get away or defend myself, and now, I couldn't even call for help and be heard by anyone. Now I knew exactly how that poor kitten felt, only the danger that was staring me in the face was far more substantial than the cold.

As the man pressed me against the wall and began stripping me of my hat and scarf, even though I knew it was a futile effort, I began to scream.

"Please! Somebody! Anybody! Help me, please!"

The man slapped me across the face, "Quiet, kid! It's no use. No one is gonna hear you here. It's just you and us."

I looked over his shoulder to see the other three men, one grinning, one laughing, and one humming appreciatively. I looked past them out towards the network of passages, and wished that I could somehow get past them to run for it. Tears started to leak from my eyes and dribble in trails down my face, the same way rain was trailing down the high walls that caged me, when suddenly, I heard the sound of an engine getting louder and louder as it approached.

The men all turned and looked behind them, cursing in shocked confusion. A bright red motorcycle came storming down the alley, screeching to a halt a few feet away from us. A man dressed in all black leather stepped from the bike and pulled the motorcycle helmet from his head. My heart stopped, before leaping to life again in a frantic and joyous rhythm.

_Tsume._

All my memories of a past life came rushing back to the surface as clear as they ever had been. Back in the old world, the dying world, the world where I had been a wolf on a journey to find paradise, where I had died protecting the old man who had wanted to kill me himself, I could remember everything. I especially remembered this. Tsume had always been there to rescue me before. Tsume, a strong grey wolf riddled with scars, had been the first wolf I had ever met. Tsume was always the one who came to save me when I got in over my head, and now, here he was again, in a new world, in a new life, and he still came for me. In that moment, I didn't care how pathetic it made me sound, I was so happy to see him there with that familiar scowl on his face that I didn't mind in the slightest how much he was sure to tease me about being a stupid runt for it later.

"Hey, buddy! What in the hell do you think you're doing driving your bike through here? You could have killed someone!"

"And wouldn't that have been a shame."

A shiver ran down my spine at the familiar voice, exactly how I remembered it.

"Well, I guess it's no harm done, so if you would be so kind as to get back on your bike and take it elsewhere, my friends and I are quite busy."

"Yeah, I can see how busy you are," Tsume whipped out a huge knife and pointed it at the man who had his arm around my shoulder, "However, you've picked the wrong target. That boy is mine, and if you wanna live long, I suggest you get the fuck away from him."

"Why you insolent bastard! Get'im boys!"

The three men surrounding Tsume pulled knives and lunged for him, but he was faster, so much so that, for a second, I believed that he was still a wolf! Tsume cut the three men, leaving minor flesh wounds and knocking their weapons from them. They could obviously tell that they were being shown mercy by someone who could kill them easily, and so backed away and took off running, leaving their leader behind to feel the full of Tsume's wrath. The man reached to pull his own blade, but before he could even draw, Tsume had pulled him off me, pressed me against the wall with his back to hide me from view, and placed the tip of his dagger against my would-be-rapist's throat.

"Now, as I was saying," Tsume began in an even colder tone than his normal voice, "This kid is with me, and if you know what's good for you, you'll stay the hell away from him."

The man swore and ground his teeth before turning and taking off after his unfaithful underlings. We stayed like that for a few minutes, Tsume and I. That mysterious returned, stronger now, the scent of lunar flowers. Fate was bringing the pack back together, once again.

"Tsume? Umm… thanks for saving me."

"Yeah, whatever," Tsume turned and patted my head, "It's good to see that you remember me at least, even if you're still just a pathetic little runt."

I pretended to be mad, but in reality, I was giddy to have Tsume back, and that he was still himself. After I had put my hat and scarf back on and gathered the frightened kitten who had been cowering nearby into my jacket, I took the helmet Tsume offered me, and climbed onto the back of his motorcycle and wrapped my arms around his waist, so as not to fall off. Just before we took off, a thought occurred to me.

"Hey, Tsume?"

"What is it, squirt?"

"How did you know I was in trouble? How did you know to come find me?"

"Your name is Toboe, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"And that means 'howling', doesn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Well, just like the rest of us, your name has always been your talent. I've always been able to hear you whenever you called for me."

I blushed a bit and laid my head against his shoulder, "Thanks for coming, Tsume. It's really great to see you again."

Tsume was quiet for awhile, but then broke the silence and said, "It's good to see you alive again too, brat. Oh, and by the way," he gave a hard laugh, "welcome to _paradise_."


End file.
